Environmental xenobiotics are any chemicals of synthetic origin which are not normally expected to present in an organism. There are several environmental xenobiotics that impose adverse impacts both on ecology and human beings. Pesticides, toxic heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls and persistent organic pollutants are environmental xenobiotics for which there are ample scientific evidences showing the obnoxious health impacts that these chemicals are imposing on humans. Neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicicty and cancer are the most frequently mentioned among the numerous health problems associated with environmental xenobiotics. However, their potential toxicities and possible routes of exposure to them are less known by general public. As a result, in this paper an attempt of critically reviewing existing literatures was made so as to support upcoming future studies on the health impacts of xenobiotics so that the results of such study can address the problem on the ground. Consequently, this paper briefly addresses several specific xenobiotic chemicals; routes of exposure and chronic effects of exposure to them.

environmental xenobiotic, health impact, pesticide, toxic heavy metal and persistent organic pollutants